June 30, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 Hats off to the New York Times for shining a light on the growing importance of caregivers and the role they play in keeping people safe and comfortable in their homes (see A Graying Population, a Graying Work Force). In particular, we would highlight a specific point in this article: caregiving’s ability to provide a sense of purpose for both the caregiver and the client.
At its best, professional caregiving enhances the lives of all involved. It is not uncommon for a caregiver to come to feel almost like part of the family, and when the client lives alone, a team of professional caregivers may be the primary social contact in that person’s life. (more…)
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June 29, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (2)
 A recent New York Times article entitled A Health Insurer Pays More to Save pointed out that regular monitoring of even simple health measures led to a drop in hospital re-admissions and overall costs. They are giving primary care doctors more help to try to keep patients, especially elderly patients, in their homes by improving monitoring and reporting to head off serious health problems.
This points to an area where the home care industry could contribute far more than we do today in reducing the costs of health care and improving quality of life for our clients: providing real-time information and reporting to health care professionals and families to confirm that plans of treatment are followed, and to report any changes in status as early as possible for follow up.
(more…)
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June 26, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (1)
 We recently met with Natasha Heimrath of Caregiver Homes, a community-based model of care for frail seniors and disabled people 16 and older to be cared for at home and in their community. The state-funded program pays caregivers – typically, but not always, a family member – who provide full-time care at home, and it supports each client and caregiver with a case management team. In some instances, this stipend allows families to bring an outside caregiver into the home for respite (relief) for the main caregiver.
Our experience suggests that many families are eligible for this program and don’t realize it. We encourage our clients to make use of this program, and have contacted those who we think may be eligible to put them in touch with Natasha. We are happy to facilitate this relationship and will work cooperatively with Caregiver Homes any time we serve clients concurrently.
To be covered by the Caregiver Homes program, clients must be eligible for Medicare/MassHealth or be eligible for a “Frail Elder Waiver” (which has a higher income allowance than does Medicare). The caregiver to receive the stipend may not be a legal guardian or spouse, and does not need to be related to the client.
(more…)
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June 25, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 Many wellness practices and activities are designed to increase positive affect (among other results), and as such we feel our wellness focus here at CCC is therefore crucial to our clients’ and caregivers’ health on all levels. While some folks think that wellness is just a “nice extra”, studies such as the one below show how absolutely vital wellness is for creating, improving and maintaining our health.
“Optimistic Expectancies and Cell-Mediated Immunity: The Role of Positive Affect,” published by the Association for Psychological Science, is just the latest article showing the connection between attitude and health. In short: increases in positive cellular immune factors were shown to correlate directly with increased levels of optimism. (more…)
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June 21, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 A recent article in the New York Times caught my eye — Aftercare Tips for Patients Checking Out of the Hospital. The Times cites among other statistics that 20% of Medicare patients return to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged. That astonishingly high percentage drives millions of dollars in unnecessary medical expense, and greatly reduces the quality of life for patients who might have stayed healthy at home.
At CCC, our goal is to drive that number close to zero within our client population. We do it in two ways: a focus on wellness and using cutting edge technology to help confirm compliance with plans of treatment.
(more…)
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Posted By Blog Admin | Comments (0)
Essentials to Good Planning:
A Health and Legal Perspective to Helping Our Loved One Age Well
 GOODNOW LIBRARY,
21 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA (map here.)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 — 7-9 PM
Get the facts from Stuart Hamilton, an Elder Law Attorney (www.StuartHamiltonLaw.com), Linda Smith, a Certified Professional Geriatric Care Manager and Independent Registered Nurse (www.mweldercare.com), and Deborah Bier, PhD, director of a local home care agency (www.CaringCompanion.Net).
They will educate and answer questions about the many legal, safety, activity, housing, caregiver support and care options available as people age.
RSVP: Linda Smith, RN, BSN, CMC, 508-962-0965
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June 16, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 As we move through life’s challenges, it’s important to give encouragement and affirmation to both ourselves and others. A popular method is to use affirmations, positive statements to help create positive outcomes. For example, upon rising in the morning, “I will have a great day today.”
I’ve always been a bit standoffish about the use of positive affirmations. For some reason, they have always seemed to me like convincing myself or others of something, rather than working towards the desired outcome. While I’m all over having an optimistic point of view every day, reciting affirmations just doesn’t somehow cut it for me… nor has it for many of my patients/clients. The whole thing is often accompanied by a lot of “if you’re not talking positive all the time, you’re messing up your life,” kind of trash talk… hardly positive, but that’s part of the baggage the practice of positive affirmations all too often drags along. (more…)
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June 11, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 A few weeks back, I posted an article called “Can We Help Elders Recapture Their Taste for Food?” This article from the Utne Reader — Remembrance of Foods Past – discusses this topic from a slightly different, but articulate, view.
“Thriving in old age isn’t simply a matter of nutrition—it’s a matter of taste,” says Darra Goldstein, the editor of Gastronomica, an exquisite quarterly journal of food-focused scholarship, fiction, and poetry. (more…)
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June 9, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 One of the treasured resources serving our communities is Meals on Wheels (MOW), which is operated in MetroWest Boston through Minuteman Senior Services. They bring nutritious hot meals to seniors all over state and around the nation. This Sunday, June 13, MOW will sponsor their 2nd annual Meals on Wheels 5K Fund-raiser. We hope many of you will consider supporting it – and if you are a bit of an athlete, maybe even participating!
Meals on Wheels offers not only meals, but vital social interaction that stimulates and engages many seniors for whom such contact plays a crucial role in keeping them engaged and independent in their own homes.
On a personal note, I am proud that several members of my family have been strong MOW supporters: my sister and her husband own American Home Companions, Florida’s largest private duty elder care agency, and they recently supported Meals on Wheels via their 5000 Reasons to Celebrate, to celebrate their inclusions in the Inc 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies. Additionally, my mother has been a MOW volunteer in her home community in Tampa, Florida. I am happy that CCC supports Meals on Wheels here in our Massachusetts office and I can attest to the important role I have seen them play in the lives of our clients.
Please consider supporting this important service to our community.
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June 3, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
From Meg Gaudet, Concord Park’s Social Program Director:
 Please join Concord Park as we help those in need. Concord is a very generous community, especially during the traditional holiday season, yet the hardship of the less fortunate can be significant in the summer months Please join us as we organize a new initiative, Christmas in June.
We need your help as we collect dry and canned goods and assorted personal toiletries for various charities in Massachusetts such as Volunteers of Americas’ “Stand Down,” a program to help homeless veterans “combat” life on the streets.
We will be collecting contributions until June 22, 2010. So please before you pack for vacation or when you grocery shop think of this, come by and drop off your donations. Concord Park Assisted Living is located in the heart of West Concord at 68 Commonwealth Avenue near the train station. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at (978) 369-4728
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Hats off to the New York Times for shining a light on the growing importance of caregivers and the role they play in keeping people safe and comfortable in their homes (see A Graying Population, a Graying Work Force). In particular, we would highlight a specific point in this article: caregiving’s ability to provide a sense of purpose for both the caregiver and the client.
